


Midnight Masses

by This_is_not_my_Penname



Series: Advent Ficlets 2018 [18]
Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Advent Ficlet Challenge 2018, F/M, Quoting the Bible, church, midnight mass
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-18
Updated: 2018-12-18
Packaged: 2019-09-22 17:33:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 591
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17064092
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/This_is_not_my_Penname/pseuds/This_is_not_my_Penname
Summary: For the Advent Ficlet Challenge Day 18: CelebrationRiza grew up going to midnight Mass. After her mother's death, she resolves to change it.





	Midnight Masses

**Author's Note:**

> The Biblical passage quoted in the middle section is Luke 2:4-7.

Riza fidgeted on the hard wooden bench. This was her least favorite part of the holidays. It was late and she was sleepy and she had to focus on sitting and kneeling and standing and talking the same as everyone. She tripped over the words.

“It’s just a little longer, and then we can go home,” her mother murmured. 

“But ‘m tired!” Riza hissed back. “How come father doesn’t have to come?”

“Your father isn’t a religious man, Riza. I’m sorry. I know it’s a lot of sitting and standing. But you’re a big girl, aren’t you? You can do this for your mama?”

Riza sighed. “Yes mama,” she replied quietly. She tried her best to focus on the stories being told and the words being spoken.

***

Riza thought about going out and sitting through the Christmas mass. It had been years since she had gone, not since her mother’s passing. She could call Rebecca. Her friend loved to go and get dolled up in order to go to church.

It was late though, and Riza needed to sleep. She thought about it, and decided against it. The words she once had memorized were long-since forgotten, and she wouldn’t feel comfortable even with a friend.

Still… there was one thing she could do. She crossed the room to her bookcase, her fingers running over the leather bound spines. She settled on the one she had been searching for. She pulled it from the shelf, and flipped the pages, looking for the passage.

“And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.” She murmured the familiar text, a soft smile on her face. She and her mother had sat in the pews every single year at midnight, listening to the story. A quiet form of celebration.

***

“I… Roy could I ask a favor of you?” Riza asked, leaning against the doorway. He set down his evening paper.

“Of course, Ri. What is it?”

She hesitated a moment. “I was wondering if you’d go somewhere with me. On… On Christmas Eve.”

“Of course. Where do you want to go?”

“Church?”

Roy blinked a few times. “Church?”

Riza nodded, swallowing nervously. “The… The church here does a midnight Christmas mass and… I haven’t gone since…”

“Since your mother passed. Of course. Just tell me what time we have to be there, okay?”

“You’re… not going to argue?”

“Well, why would I? You want to go, and it’s not like I mind it.”

“It’s just… my father was never interested in going with us because… Alchemy and all and I just…” She looked at the floor, feeling her cheeks heat up. She heard the sound of Roy getting off the couch and walking over to her.

“I love you, Riza Mustang. I am more than happy to do anything you want.” He pressed his lips to hers gently. “So, just tell me when we’re going and we’ll go. I promise.”

Riza smiled softly. “Thank you, Roy.” She wrapped her arms around him, a bright smile on her face. She could finally come back to the familiar celebrations.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think in the comments below!


End file.
